Warning: Spoilers for Titans #17Nightwinghas stepped down as theTitans' leader, and his replacement has already proven to be a better fit for the role than he ever was. Donna Troy - also known asWonder Girl- is now in command of the Titans, and her first victory on the team’s behalf solidifies that they’re much better off with her in charge.
Donna Troytakes center stage inTitans#17 by John Layman, Pete Woods, and Wes Abbott. The Titans have been captured by Clock King, who’s been given ametahuman upgradedue to the Justice League’s misstep in reclaiming their stolen powers. Now, a D-list villain has cornered the Titans, and he believes he’s defeated Donna by trapping her in her own fear - until she reveals that she’s actually using her fear to her advantage.
Clock King thinks to himself,“An unexpected and surprisingly ingenious tactic. Not something I’d expect from Nightwing’s leadership.“With this admission, DC confirms that Donna Troy is already leading the Titans more effectively than Nightwing.
Donna Troy Outsmarts the Titans' New Villain In Her First Battle as Team Leader
Wonder Girl Uses Strategies Even Nightwing Couldn’t Come Up With
Clock King’s new powersallow him to see into others' memories and trap them within their minds, and he’s even able to manipulate those memories to create new ones. With this ability, heforces the Titans to relive their darkest moments. All may seem to be lost, but Donna Troy finds a way to trick Clock King by luring him into a trap. Her worst fear is letting the Titans down as their leader, and the memory of Nightwing announcing her promotion happens to include them all.With the Titans united in that memory, they’re able to break free of Clock King’s control and fight back together.
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The Titans' newest member brings a tangled past into the mix, as Roy Harper’s return unites the whole squad. For better, or worse.
Having been trained by Batman, one of thesmartest detectives in DC lore, Dick Grayson has picked up his own detective skills that inform his intelligence as the Titans' longtime leader.Nightwing’s contingency plansare on par with his mentor’s, and he’s led the Titans out of many difficult situations in the past. Still,even he is defenseless against Clock King’s manipulation, whereas Donna Troy can’t be kept down for long. Her quick-thinking in a stressful situation elevates her to a level beyond Nightwing, and cements her as the right choice to inherit Nightwing’s former role in the Titans.
Wonder Girl Has Been Part of the Titans Since the Very Beginning
Although Donna Troy doesn’t have the mainstream popularity of Nightwing, she’s no less integral to the Titans. She serves as a founding member of theTeen Titans' original rosterin 1965’sTeen Titans#1 by Bob Haney and Nick Cardy, alongside Dick Grayson’s Robin, Kid Flash, and Aqualad. They’re later joined by Roy Harper, then known as Speedy, who completes this classic lineup of young heroes.Wonder Girl is therefore a crucial part of the Titans, having been present since the team’s conception.Moreover, her experience on the team has led to her acting as leader before her official promotion.
Donna Troy, as Wonder Girl, was first introduced in 1965’sThe Brave and the Bold#60 by Bob Haney and Bruno Premiani.
Whenever Dick Grayson steps down from his leadership position in the Titans, from the time they were teenagers,Donna Troy has always been the hero he selects to stand-in for him. As recently asTitans#2 by Tom Taylor and Nicola Scott, Wonder Girl steps up in Nightwing’s absence to command a mission in Borneo.Nightwing trusts Donnamore than any other Titan, and that’s resulted in her taking charge enough times to thrive in the role. Donna’s skills and loyalty to the team make her an obvious pick to guide the Titans now that they’re in dire need of fresh leadership.
Nightwing Is No Longer the Titans' Best Leader (And His Recent Failures Prove It)
The Titans' Inability to Replace the Justice League Is Nightwing’s Fault
Nightwing has been theleader of the Titanssince he first founded the team as Robin, yet it cannot be denied that he’s dropped the ball in recent memory. The Titans have been at the center of major catastrophes in the DC Universe, from theBeast Worldevent to thearrival of the Dark-Winged Queen, andboth of these incidents can be attributed to Nightwing’s leadership. For instance, if Nightwing had ordered the Titans to protect Beast Boy from Doctor Hate, he never would have had his mind wiped. Likewise, if he’d noticed Raven’s unusual behavior, Trigon’s return could have been prevented altogether.
The return of Trigon, as well as Raven’s terrifying transformation into the Dark-Winged Queen, can be found inTitans#15 by Tom Taylor and Lucas Meyer - available now from DC Comics.
However,these missteps by Nightwing pale in comparison to his greatest folly as leader: failing to stop Amanda Waller’s rise to power. The Titans had every chance to confront Waller both before and afterBeast Boy’s transformative plagueravaged Earth, but Nightwing kept the team’s focus elsewhere. This negligence allowed Waller’s plans to seep through the cracks, which culminated in herstripping the Justice League of their superpowers. The hero community has bounced back from this tragic time, though the fact remains that the Titans' oversight - and thus, Nightwing’s oversight - endangered the entire DC Universe. As such, Nightwing stepping down is best for the Titans.
Donna Troy Has Nightwing’s Approval as the Titans' New Leader
Nightwing Chose Donna Troy as His Successor For a Reason
Most might feel betrayed by being usurped as leader following years of dedication to the role, but Nightwing takes his replacement in stride. This acceptance is largely due to the fact that he himselfchose Donna Troy to be the new leader. After she helps the Titans beat Clock King, Dick assures her,“Any fears you have about leading the team are unfounded.“Despite her worries that she won’t live up to his legacy as the Titans' leader, Nightwing knows that she’s capable of not just being as good of a leader as him; he knows that she can surpass him.
Donna’s swift victory against Clock King has shown that she’s exactly what the Titans need to reach greater heights as a team.
Under Nightwing’s leadership, theTitans have failed to unlock their full potentialsince replacing the Justice League. They’ve lost battle after battle, and missed chances to take out smaller threats before they grew to insurmountable levels of power. Now, Donna’s swift victory against Clock King has shown that she’s exactly what the Titans need to reach greater heights as a team. With her at the helm, they can finally start over instead of retreading familiar territory.Nightwing’s time as theTitans' leader has come to an end, and it’s time forWonder Girlto take the team in a bold new direction.
Teen Titansis a superhero animated TV series based on the DC Comics team of the same name. Airing from 2003 to 2006, the show follows five young heroes—Robin, Starfire, Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy—as they battle villains while navigating adolescence. The series was widely praised for its blend of action, humor, and character development, and it spawned a popular spin-off,Teen Titans Go!.
